After years of stagnation, Overwatch 2 has finally been pushed to actually start trying ever since Marvel Rivals launched back in December.
This steady stream of improvements have been coming around since the release of perks in the game, and now it looks like Blizzard is ready to give players a huge new way to play the game with Stadium. The mode is set to launch alongside Season 16, and a new look has just been released.
Overwatch 2 Stadium
Overwatch’s Stadium is said to be a massive new permanent game mode for OW2, and it essentially brings back some things that were promised for OW2 when the game was initially announced—specifically the option to up character abilities and make them play a completely different way. Check this out:
“Forge your victory in our brand new permanent game mode, Stadium!
Strategy, teamwork, and hero evolution will determine who wins in Stadium as you and your team battle it out in this best-of-7, round-based mode.”
Essentially, players get put into rounds where they have a chance to earn Stadium Cash while playing the game. And when a round ends, they’re given the option to be able to purchase upgrades and different abilities—some of which could be essential enough to turn the tide.
Like the trailer suggests, some abilities can be so wild as Ana being able to nano-boost everyone in her team, and Moira can also throw 3 orbs instead of one. There are even crazy abilities like Mercy being able to set auto-resurrect on a teammate even before they die to save her the trouble of having to scramble to an oft-targeted teammate.
One major change is also the ability to shift POV—something that should have been in the game since launch because how else are players going to appreciate the cosmetics?
Blizzard Playing Catch-Up
click to enlargeWith Overwatch 2 getting so much flak since it launched, it does look like the team over at Blizzard is finally getting to work on some things that they promised when the sequel was first announced. Admittedly it’s not exactly what they said Overwatch 2 would be, but there are some elements of what players were expecting.
So far several reactions for Stadium have been positive on the player-end, with a lot expressing relief that the devs at Overwatch 2 are finally trying for once. With the addition of the perks system marking a major change, some think that Stadium could see a new wave of players coming back to Blizzard’s hero shooter to give the new game mode a go.
With Marvel Rivals steadily gaining the upper hand when it comes to growing player base, the OG Hero Shooter franchise Overwatch has met its match, and being someone who has been here since the first game, I’m eager to watch them fight to the end.
Season 16 of Overwatch 2 starts on April 22. OW2 is now playable for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4|5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
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